THE National Railway Museum in York is celebrating the 175th anniversary of one of the largest and best-known railway companies in the world in a new exhibition.

The Great Western Railway Reflections exhibition will be on display within Search Engine, the NRM’s research and archive centre, between May 28 and November 1.

The museum’s collections of small objects, posters and paintings have been used to explore the image of the GWR through the technology, advertising and paraphernalia it produced.

The Great Western received parliamentary consent to provide a double tracked line from Bristol to London on 31 August, 1835. The line was completed in 1841 at a total cost of £6,500,000.

It acquired numerous affectionate nicknames throughout the years. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to explore the stories behind these nicknames.

Ellen Tait, exhibitions officer at the museum, said: “Many of our visitors will already be familiar with the nicknames given to GWR and those who aren’t will find that they provide a fantastic insight into the attitudes towards the railway. The GWR’s changing identities, from the enthusiast’s God’s Wonderful Railway to the company’s own The Holiday Line, generated brand images which are still powerful today.”

The exhibition is part of the celebrations throughout the GWR region to mark the 175th anniversary of the railway.